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Why build Green?

The better question is..why not?

Rarely a day goes by any more without you hearing, seeing, or reading about something green. Green is everywhere. Green cars, green homes, green living, green is where it is at. Is this the reason we will be building green homes? Honestly? Sure... you are looking at our site, right? But that is not the half of it.

We are building green homes because it is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do for our customers, their families, their health, their pocket books, and for our environment. There are still folks today that claim green is a fad. Green is a hippy or a tree-hugger thing. This thinking, while humerous, is preposterous. What we are calling green today will be the norm in a few short years.

When most people think about green building they think of solar panels, geo-thermal heat pumps, funky designs, and in most cases they think this is going to cost lots of money. This is not so! All of these things can be components of green building but they don't need to be unless you want them. Green in terms of homebuilding is quite simple really. Green is limiting your construction waste. Green is recycling jobsite materials. Green is using local suppliers and local products. Green is selecting products produced with recycled components. Green is choosing manufacturers that make their products with renewable energy. Green is designing your home to not unnecessarily waste water and energy. Green is not putting products into a home that put off noxious odors. Do you see anything on this list you wouldn't want to do with your home? I don't either.

By now you may be thinking what is it that makes Green Goose Homes green? Any builder can claim to be green because he installs Energy Star dishwashers in his homes. Don't be fooled! Everybody uses Energy Star dishwashers. So how do you the consumer know any different? Is Green Goose Homes green because we say we are? No! There is a certification process. Several different governing bodies have established guidelines or standards they use to determine who is green. The most recognized programs for green building are done by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). There is also the Environmental Protection Agency's hugely popular Energy Star program for energy efficiency. I was trained and certified by the NAHB as a Certified Green Professional, so for that reason, and because I believe its guidelines are more applicable to residential construction than any other program, our homes will be certified by the NAHB. While we are at it each of our homes will be Energy Star certified because being green and being energy efficient go hand in hand.

Regardless of the certifying body the process is similar. In order to be certified either green or Energy Star an independent third party verifier must conduct an intensive review of your home beginning at the blueprint stage, followed by multiple inspections during the construction process to verify the home is being built to the governing bodies standards and the builder's own listed specifications. In addition, the verifier will be checking to make sure the required items are done correctly. Upon completion of construction the verifier will conduct blower door and air duct testing to measure the performance of the home. If everything checks out the home will then be certified and a certificate conveyed to the homebuilder and his/her customer.

This stringent process will provide you with a number of benefits a typical home won't. They include but are not limited to increased comfort, cleaner air, better health, lower operating costs, higher potential resale value, possible tax incentives, rebates, a great sense of pride in your home, and the list goes on. Another aspect of this process that rarely gets discussed is the benefit of another set of eyes on the home. The inspections conducted in the certification process are in addition to those performed by local code officials not in lieu of.

In short, green is where it is at. Green Goose Homes wants to be your builder of choice and has the knowledge, know-how, and skills to build your dream home and build it GREEN!